10/27/2007

March 26, 2009 Update: Sadly Meltdown is Closed. If you are looking for a place to eat in Culver City, check out Let's Be Frank, Alibi Room (for Kogi), Father's Office, Ford's Filling Station, Tender Greens or Fraiche. If you have any suggestions for a great grilled cheese, please leave them in the comments section.

At the Meltdown in Culver City, it's all about one of my favorite foods: grilled cheese. This little restaurant, open Mondays through Saturdays from 11am-3pm, has many tasty sandwiches to choose from. Open since May of this year, they have the food and service down pat, as if they have been in business for years.

Their "Classic 3 Cheese" has sharp cheddar, munster and fontina oozing from crisp, grilled sourdough bread. You can vary your bread or what goes inside; add tomatoes, Applewood bacon or ham, your choice. There's a lot more cheese than your average grilled cheese. It is almost perfect. Perfection would be a little more butter on the grill.

But don't think it stops there. The most gourmet sandwich, the "Market Melt", has a delicateness to it; the herbed goat cheese, fontina, farmers market veggies, carmelized onion and walnut pesto are layered in between Ciabatta bread. Previously a special of the day, the "Tuna Melt" was so popular they added it to their permanent menu. Served on a marbled rye with melted Jack, the Albacore tuna has just the right amount of mayo so that the sandwich itself remains light and fluffy, almost refreshing, if a sanwich can be refreshing. Such a wide selection to choose; I haven't found one I didn't like yet.

The staff is as friendly as can be. They have a sense of pride in their petite gem. They willingly engage their customers and talk about delicious items on the menu. One waiter even buys lollipops on his own dime to give out to kids.

The Meltdown is a delightful place for comfort food sans the greasy spoon.